Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

S. Korea's defense procurement subpanel approves new F-35A purchase proposal: officials

06/29/2022

A subcommittee of South Korea's state defense procurement committee has endorsed a basic proposal to purchase some 20 F-35A radar-evading fighters, Seoul officials said Wednesday. The Defense Project Promotion Committee's subcommittee approved it on June 9 in a push for a 3.9 trillion won ($3 billion) project to introduce the fighters, manufactured by the US defense giant Lockheed Martin from 2023 through the mid to late 2020s.

It’s Time to Base Fifth-Gen Fighter Jets on Guam, INDOPACOM Chief Says

06/27/2022

The U.S. should permanently station fifth-generation combat jets on Guam to counter China’s increasing military capability, the leader of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Friday. “What we are seeing, from my seat, is the largest military buildup in history since WWII,” Adm. John Aquilino said at a Foundation for Defense of Democracies event Friday.

Russia loses 150 troops, 21 tanks and 14 armoured combat vehicles during the past 24-hours

06/27/2022

The Russian army has lost about 150 military personnel, 21 tanks, 14 armoured combat vehicles, 2 multiple-launch rocket systems and 4 drones in battles in Ukraine in the previous 24 hours.

France Retires ‘Legacy’ Mirage 2000C RDI Fighter Jets

06/27/2022

The Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace bid its farewell to the last Mirage 2000C in service during a ceremony at the Air Base 115 in Orange on June 23, 2022. The aircraft, which entered service in 1984, was the “legacy” version of the Mirage 2000, which was becoming increasingly obsolete after more than 235,000 flight hours and almost 40 years of service.

India offers to set up production facilities for light combat aircraft, copters in Egypt

06/27/2022

India has offered to set up production facilities for the manufacturing of light combat aircraft (LCA) as well as helicopters in Egypt as it pursues export opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Spanish Air Force has ordered another 20 Eurofighter fighter jets to replace part of its legacy F-18 fleet

06/26/2022

According to Eurofighter Typhoon website news release, the Halcón agreement, announced at the ILA air show in Berlin, will see Spain receive 16 single-seater and 4 twin-seater fighters equipped with electronic (e-scan) radar which will replace part of the legacy F-18 fleet. It will increase the Spanish Eurofighter fleet to 90 aircraft.

China condemns flight of US military plane through Taiwan Strait

06/26/2022

A United States P-8A military plane flew over the Taiwan Strait, the Chinese Army reported Saturday on its official Weibo social media account. Command spokesman Shi Yi wrote about the army’s “firm opposition” to the Friday flight and said forces in the area “remain on high alert at all times” to defend China’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity.” Shi said the army organized “ground and air forces” to monitor “all operations” of the US aircraft, an anti-submarine maritime patrol plane.

Ukraine Army Claims To Have Killed About 34,700 Russian Enemies, Destroyed 1,511 Tanks

06/26/2022

As the ravaging war in Eastern Europe entered its 122nd day on Saturday, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry claimed that Russia has incurred heavy casualties over the last four months. In its latest operational update, the ministry claimed that Russia has lost nearly 34,700 soldiers, 3,645 Armored Personnel Vehicles (APV), 1,511 tanks, 764 artillery systems and 241 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), and at least 99 anti-aircraft warfare.

Air Force selects future aircrew helmet

06/26/2022

The Air Force selected LIFT Airborne Technologies to continue with prototype development of a new helmet for Air Force fixed-wing aircrew. The helmet prototype was chosen after Air Combat Command initiated the search for a next-generation helmet to address issues with long-term neck and back injuries, optimize aircraft technology, improve pilot longevity, and provide better fitment to diverse aircrews.

Meet the ‘Wizzo’ — The secret sauce to one of the Air Force’s deadliest fighter jets

06/26/2022

Whether it’s doubles tennis, beach volleyball or two-seat bobsled, some sports are awesome when there are two people working together. The same rings true for flying jets like the Air Force’s F-15E Strike Eagle, a two-seat fighter with a pilot sitting in front and a weapon systems officer, a.k.a. ‘wizzo,’ in the back. The ‘wizzos’ are often unsung heroes, but they enjoyed a rare shout-out on Facebook last week, when a lifelong Wizzo broke down their vital role in the air.

Chinese, Russian Warships Continue to Circle Japan, Defense Minister Says

06/25/2022

An uptick in Russian and Chinese warship movements near Japan are a part of an ongoing military demonstration toward Tokyo, Japan’s Defense Minister Nobou Kishi said this week. The People’s Liberation Army Navy and the Russian Pacific fleet have, since mid-June, sent two separate surface action groups around the Japanese home islands.

Having visited Pakistan and China, is Argentina ready to buy the JF-17 jet?

06/25/2022

The recent visit to Pakistan by the head of Argentina’s joint military staff has fed speculation that a JF-17 fighter jet deal is on the horizon following more than a decade of interest by the South American nation. But despite China’s willingness to help fund an acquisition program, its unclear if any major progress was made.

Air Force A-10s are still needed and the Russia-Ukraine war proves it

06/25/2022

Our military-industrial complex recently convinced an aviation expert at The Aviationist to take a swing at the A-10 once again. Instead of relying on that author’s poorly researched piece, let’s take a more thorough look into battlefield realities.

Czech Republic mulls order of 24 F-35A fighters

06/24/2022

The Czech Ministry of Defense is considering the replacement of the 14 JAS-39 Gripen C/D fighters currently on lease from the Swedish manufacturer Saab until 2027 by acquiring at least 24 Lockheed Martin F-35A fighters. Following a study carried out to assess the needs of its combat aviation, the Czech Air Force “has already passed on to the ministry its idea of which aircraft should protect the Czech airspace in the coming years,” said the local daily Echo24 on June 20, 2022.

Move Over Osprey: The Army's New Tiltrotor Chopper Is Ready for Combat

06/24/2022

Years ago, the U.S. Army’s vision for its fleet of Future Vertical Lift helicopters and aircraft was intended to engineer platforms that could operate in a dangerous threat environment in the 2030s and not focus on the near term when it comes to the development of paradigm-changing new aircraft.

Slovakia offers Poland, Czechia a scheme to provide MiG-29s to Ukraine: report

06/24/2022

Slovakia will transfer its MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine in exchange for temporary airspace protection from Poland and Czechia, reports suggest. Talks to implement the scheme have been happening in the context of a similar exchange which could see Slovakia receive German-made Leopard 2 tanks in exchange for delivering Soviet-era T-72s to Ukraine, according to a report by Business Insider.

US lawmakers push to train Ukrainian pilots on US-made jets

06/24/2022

Two lawmakers in Washington want to start training Ukrainian pilots to fly US-made military aircraft, signalling at least some members of Congress support the US playing a more-direct role in Ukraine’s air war against Russia. Despite such support, however, the US government has signalled no intention of pursuing such a strategy.

Spain orders 20 Eurofighter jets to modernise its combat aircraft fleet

06/24/2022

The NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) has signed a landmark contract for the acquisition of 20 latest-generation Eurofighter jets. Known as the Halcon programme, the order will cover the delivery of a fleet of E-Scan (Electronically Scanned) radar-equipped fighter aircraft consisting of 16 single-seaters and 4 twin-seaters to replace the F-18 fleet operated by the Spanish Air Force on the Canary Islands.

RAAF sent second jet into South China Sea hours after Chinese air force's 'dangerous' interception

06/23/2022

A second Australian military aircraft was dispatched over contested waters in the South China Sea last month, just hours after the Chinese air force conducted a "dangerous interception" of another RAAF plane. Defence is refusing to discuss the May 26 incident further, but flight data obtained by the ABC reveals new details of the dramatic flight as well as other recent Defence Force maritime surveillance missions being flown out of the Clark Air Base in the Philippines.

Six NATO Nations Agree To Cooperate on Next-Gen Helicopter

06/23/2022

Six countries in the NATO alliance recently signed a memorandum of mutual understanding to cooperate on new concepts for a next-generation helicopter. At the June 16 meeting of alliance defense ministers, in Brussels, Italy, France, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom have agreed to jointly commit 26.7 million Euro to develop the Next-Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) project. This is equivalent to $28 million.

India emerges frontrunner for Malaysian fighter jet order

06/23/2022

India has emerged as the frontrunner for a Malaysian requirement of light combat aircraft, with a package deal on the table that would include maintenance and spares for the nation's Russian origin Su 30 fighter jets.

USAF Doesn’t Expect New Aggressor F-35s’ Camo to Interfere With Stealth

06/22/2022

The new “Splinter” camouflage on aggressor F-35s at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., shouldn’t negate or interfere with their low observability, meaning they can truly play the role of a stealthy sparring partner for USAF fighters, according to a Nellis spokesperson. The first two F-35s to appear in camouflage were revealed June 9 at a Nellis ceremony to reactivate the 65th Aggressor Squadron, wearing a paint scheme reminiscent of both the Russian Su-57 Felon and Chinese J-20 fighters.

The fighting in Ukraine shows the vulnerability of one of modern militaries' most important weapons

06/22/2022

Instead of the quick Russian victory that Moscow and much of the world expected, the war in Ukraine has dragged on for nearly four months, with both sides losing thousands of troops and hundreds of aircraft and vehicles.

Could Artificial Intelligence Prepare U.S. Pilots for War Against China and Russia?

06/22/2022

The U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force are working on a new generation of training technologies to prepare their fighter aircraft for new Russian and Chinese air threats posed by the Su-57 fighter and J-20 fifth-generation stealth aircraft, respectively.

Taiwan scrambles jets to warn away Chinese planes in its air defence zone

06/22/2022

Taiwan scrambled jets on Tuesday to warn away 29 Chinese aircraft in its air defence zone, including bombers that flew south of the island and into the Pacific, in the latest uptick in tensions and largest incursion since late May.